Ghosts of the Past
by RoboFoxtrot
Summary: Sonny is out shopping when he see's someone who he was certain was dead. "I'm not a Spenser, not anymore."


Preface

**Ghosts of the Past**  
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at /works/22261771.

Rating: General Audiences Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply Fandom: SEAL Team (TV) Character: Sonny Quinn, Clay Spenser Additional Tags: Family Drama, Whump, SEAL Team Week 2020, Emotional Hurt, Angst Stats: Published: 2020-01-15 Words: 896 Ghosts of the Past

by RoboFoxtrot

Summary

Sonny is out shopping when he see's someone who he was certain was dead. "I'm not a Spenser, not anymore."

Notes

This is a quick story I tried to throw together real quick for Seal Week. I hope it meets expectations regardless of the length. ❤❤

Ghosts of the Past

Sonny stared up at the ceiling unblinkingly trying to corral his thoughts, wrap his mind around what had happened earlier today. It was hard to imagine that it was actually real, that someone's mother could actually be that cruel. He expected this type of behavior from Ash but Clay's mother? Not even a little bit. Especially from the few things he'd heard about her from Clay, it was like she had hung the moon for the younger man.

A grimace crossed Sonny's face as he recalled the earlier events of the day. The day itself had started normally enough for a Saturday, nothing really out of the usual. A quick shower to wake up, followed by breakfast that consisted of a slice of toast and a banana, and wrapped up with a three mile run. As much as the team liked to joke around about him hating running, Sonny still incorporated it into his workout routine. Cardio might be the devil but it worked.

Deciding to get some grocery shopping done early, Sonny had headed to his local store. They were always less crowded than any of the big company stores and less aggravating than the commissary. Everyone always wanted to say hello when he went to the commissary and it drove him crazy, the less time spent shopping the better.

Sonny had been making record time with this shopping trip, mentally congratulating himself, when spotted a ghost. Or someone who should have been a ghost. Standing in front of the beef was a woman who looked almost exactly like the picture had shown him of his mother. His mother who had passed away when he was ten.

"Shannon," Sonny called. "Shannon Spenser!" The woman quickly looked up, making eye contact for a second before going back to pretending she didn't hear him. Huffing in anger Sonny stomped over towards her. "Hey don't ignore me."

"I'm sorry, you must have me confused with someone else." Shannon stuttered, moving to walk away but Sonny stepped in front of her cart.

"No, I don't. You're Shannon Spenser, mother of Clay Spenser." Sonny growled. He could see that they were attracting attention from the other customers. "What happened to being dead? Because last time I checked Clay thought his mother died when he was ten."

The woman pursed her lips in agitation, "I'm not a Spenser, not anymore."

Sonny was honestly flabbergasted. "That's all you have to say? You're not a Spenser? Do you not care about Clay at all?" The longer their conversation went on the more worked up Sonny became. It was like he was Alice falling down the rabbit hole.

"No! Why would you think I care?" Shannon hissed. "Like you said I've been playing dead since he was ten. If I never have to have to see another Spenser again it'll be too soon."

Shannon grabbed her purse, leaving the entire cart behind as she speed walked towards the exit. Sputtering slightly Sonny took off after her, catching up right as she reached the parking lot. "What the hell is wrong with you. That's your child, he thinks you're basically some sort of saint!"

They were both breathing hard, faces flush with anger, and slight humiliation on Shannon's part. Neither spoke for a minute until Shannon took a deep breath, calming herself.

"Listen you can think I'm a monster all you want but I refuse to be shamed for saving myself. Ash Spenser is a horrible man and Clay was growing up to be just like him. Hell he did grow up to be just like him. You're a seal, meaning Clay is one too." Shannon held her hand up when Sonny went to speak. "I suffered under Ash's thumb for too long and I won't do it for a second longer."

"Clay is nothing like his father." Sonny really couldn't believe he was actually in this situation. It was almost unbelievable, except that the unbelievable always happened to Clay. Which kind of makes it believable. Ugh, Sonny was confusing himself even more.

Smiling sadly, Shannon opened her car door. "Maybe, but I don't have any regrets. Excuse me."

Sonny moved out of the way, watching as Shannon the ghost drove away before quietly walking back into the store to finish his shopping trip. Thankful that his cart was still where he left it, Sonny grabbed the last few items needed and quickly checked out. The feeling of people watching him would normally drive him up the wall but he had been too distracted to really care at that point.

Turning over in his bed Sonny groans. Why did today have to happen. Is he obligated to tell Clay that his mother is actually alive but wants nothing to do with him because she thinks he's just like father. It would destroy Clay.

No matter how angry is the last thing he wants is to cause Clay pain. So maybe it's better to let his friend keep thinking his mother is a saint, as warped as that view is. Clay deserves to think at least one of his parents love him.

And if by some random turn of events Clay finds out that his mother is actually still alive, then Sonny and the rest of Bravo will be there. They'll pick up the broken pieces and him whole again, because that's what real families do.

Afterword

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